| 21 April 2018 | Ukorebi Esien
A Coalition of groups lead by the Nka Nkori Ye Nsongonda Efik Efut Ye Abakpa Empowerment Association in Conjunction with Me Africa Advocacy Group (MAAG) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to as a matter of urgency adhere to the advice of Justice Inyang Okroro, a justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria who two months ago delivered judgment on the delineation of state constituency for the Bakassi people of Cross River state
The call was made today, in a symposium on the implications of the recent Supreme Court judgment on the Akpabuyo and Bakassi boundaries adjustment held in Calabar, Cross River State Capital.
Barr. Eyo Ekpo, a Former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Cross River State and the keynote speaker of the event stated that, the issue could have been settled 12 years ago, adding that “in 2007 we went to INEC for them to adopt Ikang North, Ikang Central, and Ikang South as Bakassi state Constituency, but the matter has been battled”.
Barr. Ekpo said who took time to explain in clear terms the historical background of the ceding of Bakassi to Cameron said it all started during the military government of Abacha.
He went further to explain the recent judgment delivered by the court stating that although the judgment was in favour of INEC and the judge in his wisdom advised INEC to as a matter of urgency do the needful in seeing that the already displaced people of Bakassi are not disenfranchised in the forthcoming elections.
That also made it clear that to achieve that purpose “We need to agree on the following; (1) We need a Bakassi state constituency, (2) 7 new wards for Bakassi and (3) 3 new wards for Akpabuyo. If we, our Elites do not call the State Government to do the needful, the status quo will remain the same”.
]Speaking also was Hon. Bassey Ita Edem, an Activist and a former Bakassi Local Government Chairman, who said the displaced Bakassi people need a real place to settle, adding that, “Judgement has been given by the Supreme court, why not we sit down and talk how to correlate”.
Architect Bassey Ndem, Former State Commissioner of Lands also said he believes some forces are holding back the delineation of Bakassi Constituency due to their selfish interest. “Twelve years ago a judgment was given and what was supposed to be done from that period was for INEC to go in and carry out it constituency delineation. But for 12 years now, it has not done so, despite pressure from the State Government, House of Assembly, Individuals, including taking people to court. Nothing has happened, and you’d think something is behind it. That’s why I propose name and shame”.
Architect Ndem while charging the youths to rise up and do the needful said, “let’s come together as a people, supported by the unbiased Press write and go to INEC to do what the Supreme court had advised them to do and what the people of Bakassi and Akpabuyo had been crying out for 12 years that they should do. But, if they don’t do it, one day there will be a day of reckoning and we’ll ask them why you did not do it”.
On his part, Dr. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, Member representing Bakassi state constituency and Chairman committee on Health at the Cross River State House of Assembly said, INEC has readjusted the Law No. 7 and created a space meant for Bakassi constituency.
He said INEC was deceived, adding that, “several letters were written by former Governor Liyel Imoke, and we’ve protested to the INEC as Chairmen of councils, but INEC didn’t compel with us”.
He stated further that, the Supreme Court judgment was simple, adding that, “Law No. 7 was to make boundary adjustments between Akpabuyo and Bakassi and not to create new constituencies.
“INEC do not need to delineate the wards, for these wards, has been delineated by Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, CROSIEC”.
Hon. Okon who was also the Chairman of the conference further reiterated that “According to a legal practitioner, the State has the power to create Local Government Boundaries and INEC has the power to create constituencies and conduct elections, therefore, we should make sure that the right thing is done”.
Hon. Bassey further said, Government has made provisions to the displaced people of Bakassi, but none of them is enjoying the provisions, instead people who are not from there are the ones benefiting. “Today, the Cross River State Government has built an estate for the Bakassi people in Akpabuyo, but is the estate in Bakassi?
“If we define our positions, Bakassi will be resettled. If we take our positions, the wealth of Bakassi can be able to take care of Cross River State. What an average Bakassi man needs, is where he can stay as a human being and upgrade, survive”, he said.
Architect Bassey Ndem, Former State Commissioner of Lands also said he believes some forces are holding back the delineation of Bakassi Constituency due to their selfish interest. “Twelve years ago a judgment was given and what was supposed to be done from that period was for INEC to go in and carry out it constituency delineation. But for 12 years now, it has not done so, despite pressure from the State Government, House of Assembly, Individuals, including taking people to court. Nothing has happened, and you’d think something is behind it. That’s why I propose name and shame”.
Ukorebi Esien
Blogs and edits for TDN
He is also a social media strategist, a politics blogger who tells the Nigerian Story one article at a time
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